Lost During Escort of New Recruits in Rental Car
Recovered by Unit After Civilian Report
"Daily Firearm Counts Conducted Only Superficially"
Series of Incidents Raise Concerns Over Military Discipline
Martial Law Cited as Underlying Cause
Concerns are mounting over a perceived decline in military discipline. Following a series of both major and minor incidents?including accidental discharges and friendly fire?in the Army, Navy, and Air Force, a new incident has occurred: a rifle, considered an indispensable "companion" for soldiers, was lost, and the unit failed to notice its absence for three days. Some analysts suggest that the ongoing leadership vacuum, which has persisted for more than six months since the 12·3 Martial Law, as well as delayed personnel appointments, may be contributing to the unsettled atmosphere and affecting military discipline.
According to the military on June 11, the incident occurred on June 5 at an Army division located in Daegu. A non-commissioned officer was escorting new recruits, who had completed basic training, back to the unit using a rental car. During this process, one of the new soldiers left a K-2 rifle in the trunk of the rental car. The non-commissioned officer in charge also failed to realize that the rifle had been left in the vehicle and returned the rental car without retrieving it.
The lost firearm was only recovered three days later, on June 8, after a civilian who was cleaning the rental car reported it to the relevant unit. The unit did not even realize the rifle was missing during those three days. The incident is currently under investigation by the Army's military police. Additional inspections of the firearm management system at the unit and related commands are also expected to take place in the future.
The distribution of K2C1 rifles supplied to military personnel has been temporarily suspended.
An Army official stated, "An investigation is currently underway to determine the specific circumstances," adding, "We plan to take necessary follow-up measures based on the results of the investigation." The Ministry of National Defense is also monitoring the situation. Jeon Ha-kyu, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, said at a regular briefing the previous day, "There are various aspects that need to be examined," and added, "If necessary, the Ministry of National Defense will also take appropriate follow-up actions."
Both inside and outside the military, experts point out that while the loss of a firearm itself is a serious issue, the greater problem is that the unit failed to notice the loss for three days. The office of Representative Yoo Yongwon of the People Power Party, a former military affairs journalist, commented, "Normally, units are required to conduct daily firearm counts, and these are managed through the duty system. The fact that these procedures were either absent or conducted only superficially indicates a fundamental failure in the unit’s firearm management system."
There is growing concern over the repeated occurrence of such discipline-related incidents within the military during the approximately six months since the 12·3 Martial Law. Previously, in March, two KF-16 fighter jets from the Air Force accidentally dropped MK-82 bombs on civilian areas in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, due to a coordinate input error during training. In April and May, there were also incidents in the Army where a single live round was accidentally discharged toward the North while inspecting K-6 machine guns at a guard post (GP) on the central front and at a general outpost (GOP) on the western front, respectively.
Other incidents and accidents have also been frequent. In April, an Army drone and helicopter collided and burned down due to a sudden gust of wind. In the Navy, a P-3C maritime patrol aircraft recently crashed during training for unknown reasons, resulting in the deaths of four crew members, including the pilot.
Some observers point to the aftermath of the 12·3 Martial Law as one of the causes behind the recent decline in military discipline. Due to the 12·3 Martial Law, much of the military leadership is currently operating under acting appointments, and even the personnel reshuffle scheduled for April was postponed, causing ongoing instability within the military. The 2nd Operational Command, the higher unit of the Army’s 50th Division where the rifle loss occurred, is also currently operating under an acting leadership system.
Kim Byungjoo, a former Army general and current Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, stated at the Supreme Council meeting held that morning, "This incident reveals a fundamental failure in firearm management, which is directly linked to the safety of our troops. It raises concerns that the military’s command structure is still unstable following the 12·3 Martial Law." He added, "A disorderly military is like a ship that has lost its way. We must restore discipline in the military as soon as possible."
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